BENGALURU: The Karnataka government should bring out a white paper to reveal the truth about the state’s finances, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said. Speaking exclusively to TNIE, he said the main contributors to the State treasury are the departments of commercial taxes, excise, stamps and registration and transport, and all these heads have suffered because of the great slowdown. “Experts say that GDP growth is around -23 per cent nationally. We have to examine the effect of this slowdown on the State and take corrective measures. Will the slowdown worsen? Everyone understands that it has a telling effect on revenue earning sectors,’’ he said.
He said the State government should devise strategies to stop any misuse of funds and ensure every rupee is wisely invested, which it has failed to do so far. “Unless the government makes all expenditure wise and productive, things will be difficult. Certain irresponsible decisions of the government have come to our notice, which we will take up at an appropriate time.’’
The JDS and Congress, meanwhile, are preparing their strategies to put the government on the mat during the legislature session. Assembly secretary M K Vishalakshi put out an official note stating that the session will begin on September 21 and end on September 30.
‘Dangerous trend’
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said it is a dangerous development that GDP growth has slumped by -23%. PM Narendra Modi “absolving himself of the responsibility and blaming Covid” is a more dangerous development, he said, and blamed demonet-isation, faulty implemen-tation of GST, and clueless ministers for challenging state of finances.